A Moving Pseudo-Boundary MFS for Three-Dimensional Void Detection

We propose a new moving pseudo-boundary method of fundamental solutions(MFS)for the determination of the boundary of a three-dimensional void(rigid inclusion or cavity)within a conducting homogeneous host medium from overdetermined Cauchy data on the accessible exterior boundary.The algorithm for imaging the interior of the medium also makes use of radial spherical parametrization of the unknown star-shaped void and its centre in three dimensions.We also include the contraction and dilation factors in selecting the fictitious surfaces where the MFS sources are to be positioned in the set of unknowns in the resulting regularized nonlinear leastsquares minimization.The feasibility of this new method is illustrated in several numerical examples.

Void defect detection in ball grid array X-ray images using a new blob filter

Ball grid arrays (BGAs) have been used in the production of electronic devices/assemblies because of their advantages of small size, high I/O port density, etc. However, BGA voids can degrade the performance of the board and cause failure. In this paper, a novel blob filter is proposed to automatically detect BGA voids presented in X-ray images. The proposed blob filter uses the local image gradient magnitude and thus is not influenced by image brightness, void position, or component interference. Different sized average box filters are employed to analyze the image in multi-scale, and as a result, the proposed blob filter is robust to void size. Experimental results show that the proposed method obtains void detection accuracy of up to 93.47% while maintaining a low false ratio. It outperforms another recent algorithm based on edge detection by 40.69% with respect to the average detection accuracy, and by 16.91% with respect to the average false ratio.

A retrievable sensor installation technique for acquiring high frequency signals

The use of in-seam waves for void detection in mines requires the capability of capturing high frequency signals over large distances. For instance, the Airy phase of Love waves which are used for void detection in coal mines ranges from several hundred to over one thousand Hertz and the expected travel distance of these signals is at least 90 m （equivalent to a detection distance of 45 m） for the technique to be considered practical. In order to obtain high quality and broadband signals, sensors are conventionally grouted at the bottom of boreholes so that the attenuation due to the fractured surface is minimized and the coupling effect is improved. However, to be economically feasible, the expensive and high sensitive sensors must be retrievable so that they can be used repeatedly at the same or other locations. Because of these concerns, a retrievable sensor installation technique was developed. This paper provides a detailed review of the technique as well as a brief discussion of its applications. The technique is simple and reliable for both installation and retrieval operations and can be used for boreholes oriented in any directions. The technique has been demonstrated in over 200 sensor installation/retrieval operations under various borebole conditions, including bituminous coal, anthracite coal, shale, sandstone and trona. With this technique, we were able to detect the high frequency signals required for our projects. For instance, the signals used at a trona mine for void detection have a typical frequency of 5 kHz with the travel distance of 150-200 m. The results of these operations have shown that sensors installed in the prescribed manner exhibit predictable, consistent, and repeatable performance. The technique also provides an economical and reliable means for many other field seismic monitoring applications where high quality and broadband signals are essential, such as microseismic monitoring and geotomography studies.